1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a toner cartridge configured to store toner and slidably and detachably mounted in an image forming apparatus as well as the image forming apparatus with the toner cartridge.
2. Description of the Related Art
A toner cartridge configured to replenish a developing device with toner is detachably mounted in an image forming apparatus such as a copier or a printer. The toner cartridge is, for example, slidably and detachably mounted at some position in a housing of the image forming apparatus. The slidable toner cartridge may be horizontally withdrawn from and pushed into the housing of the image forming apparatus. Generally, a grip is provided on a proximal wall of the slidable toner cartridge, so that a user may hold the grip to easily withdraw the toner cartridge from the housing.
The toner cartridge may include a shutter mechanism configured to prevent undesirable leakage of the toner to an outside before the toner cartridge is mounted in the image forming apparatus, after the toner cartridge is detached from the image forming apparatus or while the toner cartridge is replaced.
The toner cartridge may include a housing formed with a toner discharge opening, a shutter configured to open and close the toner discharge opening, a lever configured to operate the shutter and a locking member configured to lock the lever. The lever at a closing position elastically deforms an elastic part of the locking member to bias the locking member toward the closing position. After the housing of the toner cartridge is mounted in the housing of the image forming apparatus, the locking member unlocks the lever so that the lever can be rotated from the closing position to an opening position.
The lever may be exposed from the proximal wall of the toner cartridge, so that the user may easily access the lever. Such a lever includes a rotating structure, which is relatively weak against an external force. While the toner cartridge itself is transported for replacement, the lever exposed from the proximal wall is potentially subjected to collision with a floor surface or a side wall of a building or other equipment. As a result, the function of the lever itself or the rotating mechanism (e.g. shutter) connected with the lever may be damaged.